Monday, December 24, 2012

Let it Snow! - A Children's Story

I wrote this story as a children's picture book idea a few years ago. I still like it so I wanted to share it. Maybe read it to your kids if you got 'em. They've got powerful imaginations, I don't think they need the pictures anyway. Merry Christmas.

Let it Snow!

A Children’s Christmas Story

By William Sterling

“Snow!” Shouted young Jacob Price. “A full
day of snow would be ever so nice!” He kicked and screamed and let out a sigh,
“Please make it snow,” he shouted toward the sky. “There’s a certain someone
responsible!” He exclaimed. “He’s likely asleep on the job, what a bother, what
a pain! Give me snow now for goodness sake; do you want me to spread rumors
that I think you’re a fake?” The sun was setting, and it was getting dark. “There had
better be snow tomorrow,” was Jacob’s last remark.

Off to bed he went, ready for snow in the
morn. He even dressed accordingly his hat, coat and scarf well worn. He closed his
eyes tight, and prepared for sleep, when suddenly he heard a rumble and from
his bed he did leap. He kicked off his sheets, to the window he ran, his
eyes growing wide as a blizzard began.

There was snow! More than just a
flurry, so much of it so that Jacob began to worry! To his front door he opened wide, yet what he received was a terrible surprise. In poured snow, in
leaps and bounds, more of it, more of it, he feared he may drown. He ran up his
stairs, as the snow filled his home, where were his parents, why was he all
alone?

The walls began to shake, the windows to
brake, the snow was flooding his house and he needed to escape. He ran to the
attic, it was really quite clear, “I’ll escape from the roof, I’ll escape from up
here!” He opened the window and out he ran, he was beginning to worry, he
hadn’t a plan. “This is not what I wanted, this was not my boast, my house is
being buried by the thing I want most! This snow is so bitter, so cold and so
frigid, I should have asked for something warm, something nice, bright, and vidid.”

Jacob seemed hopeless, as if all was lost.
His wish seemingly twisted by a scheming Jack Frost. But suddenly, a light
shown bright! It was red like a beacon, an Angel's guiding light. Against the
fearful snow it did oppose. What was it; but Rudolph’s shiny red nose. Closer
and closer came the sleigh and Santa Claus along with it in a marvelous display.

“Santa!” Jacob shouted with glee. “I knew
you’d come, you must save me!” Down landed Santa, his reindeer so
beautiful. He stepped down from his sleigh, with a purpose quite dutiful.

“My, my,” He began to say. “Look at all
this snow, look at this foray.” He gazed about and stroked his beard, it did
not look good, it was what he feared.

“Santa, I don’t know where to go! My home is
back there buried beneath the snow.” Jacob began to shiver; the cold was all he
felt. But Santa simply looked to him and down he knelt. “Perhaps there’s
something we can do, we'll figure this out. We can find an answer, this I
know without a doubt.”

“Oh Santa, there’s not much I could achieve,
I got us into this mess, and I’ve no tricks up my sleeve.” Santa just smiled
his cheeks so rosy, he lent Jacob his hat, it was quite cozy. He scratched
his bald head, and thought for a second. He snapped his fingers, “I’ve got it!”
He reckoned.

He leapt onto his sleigh, Jacob in tow. “Now
hold on tight, we’ll show this snow!” With those words, Santa’s sleigh
began to rise, “We can save Christmas,” Santa surmised.

Faster and faster they flew, far above the
clouds; the towns below all covered in snow shrouds. “Santa, what can
I do to make things right? People must be stuck in their homes, stricken with
fright. I've been so selfish, so thoughtless and greedy, I did a terrible by ignoring the needy. I and my wishes got us into this mess, I’m afraid this year I’ve
spoiled Christmas.”

Santa slowly looked over, smiling from ear
to ear. “Christmas is not spoiled, no sir, not this year! You’ve solved the
problem, Jacob, you’ve figured it out! This snow is thick, but your conscience
it did not clout. This unfortunate situation you’ve helped amend, you’ve
realized something it takes some a lifetime to comprehend. We can dream as far
as the stars are in the night. They are hope for tomorrow, they let our
future take flight. But sometimes what we wish for is meant only for us, and
this can cause problems, situations such as thus.”

Jacob looked up to Santa, his suit bright
and red, and he wished he was home, asleep in his bed. “Santa, I’d like to go
home now, if you don’t mind. I’d like to fall asleep, and leave this all
behind. This was an interesting day for me and you; I guess I should be careful
what I wish for, it just might come true.”

Down went the sleigh, Jacob could
see his house. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The snow was
thin, it had finally subsided, Jacob felt better now that he’d confided. Santa smiled, leaned down and gave him a hug, then shouted to his reindeer who lifted off with
a tug.

Jacob went inside, and crawled into bed.
“To think,” To himself he softly said. “In the morning, what a story I will
tell when I awake. And before all this, I threatened to call him a
fake.”